Obesity is a major health concern in most industrialized nations. Obesity correlates with, and can trigger, the onset of serious medical conditions, including hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and psychological maladjustments. With obesity affecting more than one third of Americans and more than one half of certain populations (for example, Hispanic females), its important role in overall morbidity and mortality is clear. Although identification of individuals afflicted with this problem is straightforward, treatment methods have proven elusive. Initial failure rates for treatment of obesity are high, and relapse after successful weight loss is common.
Combinations of diet, exercise, surgery and various drug therapies are currently being used to decrease body fat in obese individuals. Drug therapy for weight loss generally falls into the categories of appetite suppressants and agents that decrease food absorption. Unfortunately, such drugs have disadvantages including abuse potential (for example, benzphetamine and phendimetrazine); serious permanent side effects (for example, fenfluramine, which was withdrawn from the market because it caused valvular heart disease); failure in long-term efficacy (for example, fluoxetine and other selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) and other side effects, such as the flatulence, increased stool frequency and increased urgency associated with drugs that decrease food absorption. Accordingly, there exists a need for identifying compounds for treating obesity and related disorders. The present invention satisfies this need and provides related advantages as well.